Combustion chamber for air-borne solid fuel



M. VRON March 16, 1954 coMBusToN CHAMBER FOR AIR-BORNE soun FUEL Filed Aug. 4, 194'?A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 16, 1954 M, VERQN f 2,672,012

COMB-USTION CHAMBER FOR AIR-BORNE SOLID FUEL Filed Aug'. 4, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 29 15cm/c Mara/P INVENTOR Marce! l/e'ron BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1954 CMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR AIR-BORNE SOLID FUEL Marcel Vron, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, assignor to The Babcock & Wilcox Company, Rockleigh, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 4, 1947, Serial No. 765,878 In France July 3, 1941 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires July 3, 1961 8 Claims. (Cl. 611-3946) The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the generation of motive fluids for gas turbines by the combustion of solid fuels in suspension.

It is known that gas turbines operate under the action of gases originating from the combustion, under pressure and at a high temperature, of solid, liquid or gaseous fuels. The gases produced by the combustion of solid fuels in suspension, such as, for example, pulverized coal, normally contains solid ashparticles which are entrained therewith. Such gases, with entrained solid particles, are not suitable for use as a motive iiuid for a gas turbine, and the entrained solid particles should be removed before their introduction into the turbine.

In accordance with my invention I provide a combustion chamber in Which pulverized coal is burned under pressure, yand in Which the products of combustion are cooled and the larger ash particles are removed before discharging therefrom. A dust extractor or filter receives the gases originating in the combustion chamber and removes the entrained dust before the gasesare admitted to the turbine to transform their heat energy into useful work in driving the turbine shaft.

The air required for the operation of the combustion chamber is delivered thereto under pressure by a compressor, which may be driven by the gas turbine. The air is utilized in the combustion of the fuel, to cool the products of combustion leaving the combustion chamber, and to cool the walls of the combustion chamber. In addition, the combustion chamber may be cooled not only by air, but in part by a suitable circulation of water.

The invention, therefore, aims essentially at the production of gases from the combustion of pulverized coal and the purification of the gases prior to their introduction into a gas turbine.

rlhe various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed `out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific Yobjects attained by its use,

reference should be had to ytheuaccompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention.`

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents schematically, viewed as a whole, an installation constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows, along a vertical section, an enlarged view of a modification of the combustion chamber, as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, in vertical section, of a similar combustionl chamber provided with a cooling arrangement by means of water circulation;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat more detailed view of the coal feeding arrangement of the combustion chamber;

Fig. 5 shows, also in detail, the arrangement for the extraction and evacuation of the ashes originating from the combustion chamber; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are section views taken on lines 6,-6 and '1 -1, respectively, of Fig. 2.

As will be seenfrom Fig. 1, the installation essentially is characterized by the combination of a combustion chamber I which is adapted to operate under pressure conditions for the combustion of pulverized coal, and a dust extractor 2 which is inserted in a duct 3 to conduct the hot gases under pressure from the chamber I to a gas turbine (not shown). The dust extractor 2 is intended to purify the combustion gases by the substantial elimination of the entrained dust or solid particles therein.

There will be herein described the particular construction of the combustion chamber and its complementary equipment, while the filter type dust extracting apparatus with its accessories disclosed herein is more specifically described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 765,879, led August 4, 1947, now Patent 2,564,316.

The combustion chamber I shown in detail in Fig. 2 includes a metallic cylindrical body 4 and a metallic cylindrical foundation Vll which is connected to the body 4' by a joint. For all practical purposes these two parts could be formed as a single body. The body 4 of the chamber I is provided internally with a spaced lining 5 of refractory or heat resistant steel which defines the combustion chamber proper, leaving between it and the body an annular space where the air under pressure, as necessary both for combustion and for cooling the chamber, is circulated. The air is uniformly distributed circumferentially of the lining 5 by means of the plates S which are wrapped as a helix about the lining 5 whereby the outer Walls of the chamber I are cooled by the spiral movement of the air upwardly through the annular space. The bodyv 4' and the lining 5 are closed at their upper ends by 4spaced cover plates having centrally located ports therethrough for a pulverized coal burner 'l which is of the mixing type receiving combustion air from pipes il and coal from feeder 3|. A lighting opening 9 for a fuel oil burner is provided so that the installation may be y*put-into operation by means of a torch. A capped housing opens to the interior space of the combustion chamber I. This lighting opening is closed by a quick-opening cover plate fitted to a flanged member on the exterior end of the port 49. The flanged outlets 8 are provided in the upper portion of the body Il for the withdrawal -of lair from the annular space surrounding the lining' 5 and delivery to a pulverized coal conduit corre necting with the burner The burner v'l is inserted in a port l', as shown in Figs.y Zf-and, which is :formed in the upper end portion vof the combustion chamber and is in communication with the interior space defined by the lining 5.

The lining 5 is provided in its periphery Vvvitlfia suitable number of small nozzles or tubes I arranged in several rows for the entrance of -air under pressure into the chamber `I. Some of these tubes are vpositioned in the upper portion of the chamber and are arranged with a ltangential air inlet relative to the vintc'erioi' surface of the lining of the combustion chamber, while other tubes are provided at alowe'r position for the jet introduction of air having radial and' tangential components of motion relative tothe lining of the combustion chamber. The for-mer, tangential tubes, furnish jets of air in flat streams which hurl air against the inner wall of the lining 5 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2. These tubes serve the purpose of contributing to the cooling of the lining ,ofthe combustion chamber since, as will be easily understood, layers of cooling air are located on both the inner and outer side of the lining 5. 'One layer-of air circulates at a low speed in the annular space between the lining 5 and the bodi'7 4' of the chamber I, wherein the cooling effect of this air circulation is further increased by the plates E, The other layer of cooling air is introduced at high speed to the interior of the combustion chamber under the action of the tangentially directed air iets.

The air introduced from the tubes having radial and tangential components of ow with-respect to the lining 5 of the combustion chamber,v serve to insure the complete combustion of the Vfuel and the mixing of the gases. The action of these jets has the eiect of imparting to the burning mass of air and fuel a rotational movement which causes a relative sliding of the different layers and consequently favors the diffusionof the oxygen in the gaseous atmosphere and aroundthe grains of pulveriz'ed coal. They al-so contribute to the cooling of the combustion gases to the predetermined temperature established for their utilization. l

The combustion chamber represented in vig. 3 comprises a modification of the apparatus-ofifig. 2 consisting in that the internal cooling of 'the combustion chamber'is by means of a'water cooled surface formed by a coil-shaped water pipe II. A pump (not shown) produces an active circulation of water in the coil which enters at position I2 and leaves at position I3. The water circulation in the coil is regulable so the water or steam temperature at the'exit position I3 may be controlled and the heat used for any' purpose. The protective lining 5 of the vcombu'stic'in chamber is further provided with a certain number of tubes or nozzles for 'the introduction of air 'as 'i'nl the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. The 'upper tubes I4, fewer in number than shown in Fig. 2 permit the entrance of combustion air intothe mass of burning fuel, while the lower row of tubes I5 is used for the entrance of air serving to bring established for their utilization in the gas turbine. l The foundation 4', as shown in both Figs. 2 and -33- is equipped internally with a protective jacket 's'sary for the operation of the combustion cha1nber is admitted at a hanged inlet H in the ica-ei- .pa-rtj of the-foundation 4, so as to permit an up Wardoyv of circulating air between parts Il and I6, inwardly lat the juncture of the parts fi and 1I", and-thence upwardly in the cooling space betvv parts 4 and 5. The protective lining 5 of ythe" vcombustion chamber extends into the foundation 4 to form kind of skirt I8 which guides-the burning gases so as to force them to reversetheirdirection of now before leaving the chamber Landthus'facilitates the precipitation o1 ashes in the lower part of the combustion chamber. Theashes are vinflmediately evacuated throughl an cri'ce I5 at the'bottom of the ccmbustionL chamber I while the gases rising around the outer pripheryof-the skirt I3 at a moderate rate nescapethrough `the flanged outlet connection- 20. 'lfhementrance of the gas outletl 25 is partly mashed by anannular baule 2i which is inclinedwith respect rto Ithe horizontal and serves to equalize the distribution of gases circumferentially of the skirt IB lin the upward movement of tlficwgases` toward'the outlet 2G, by reason of artificial restriction Vin Hthe circumferential path. Y'Iliis structure also tends to prolong the -verticalm-iiow v.path of the -gases as much as possible. From the outlet v connection 29 the pass through the duct 3 through the dust er tractor 2 and thus to the gas turbine. An. openingh22 is provided-in the foundation. through which '.glasefshmaywbe discharged t pressureyrelief valve 2`3 as shown in Fig. i r" is intended to avoid-the-V elects of an accident J increasedwpressure -in- `the chamber l due to an accidental explosive combustion of the coal and airtherein. Any vincrease in internal presso es Within-the combustion chamber beyond a selected value l'will open the valve 23 and permit a relief ofgaspressu-retoftheopen air, through an escape des?. 24.*

TTheQmbustion chamber I is fired with pulverizedcoal-by an installation disposed above the chamber andr `shown in detail in Fig. 4. This mstallation includes a storage hopper 25 for pul verized coal which is arranged with suitable spouts to distributecoal-to two air-tight bins 2t. The bins are lled from the hopper by operating' quick- 'opening cover plates whereby the bins are alter natel'y arranged in coal charging and dischargi..sf position. A special pneumatic gate valve 2i theflower endp'f eachbin 26 enables the puh '1. coal to be discharged in any desired amount into a Yepipe 28. The lower end of the pibe 233 is connected toa suitable feeder or distributor Si which-is controlled by a small electric motor In leaving `the distributor 2S the coal is throughawflexible tube 3i to an injector 32 and thence tothe burner 'I such as shown l.

The injector 32 receives carrier or primary comu bustion air through a duct connecting with one of the openings of the chamber l while secondaryrair 'is supplied 'to the burner '.1 by a duct ootdwth the s'ffr'id Opening 8. The coin- 'bustion chamber may be continuously operated by this feeding' arrangement since the pulverized coal may be introduced into the combustion chamber I despite the pressure prevailing therein and regardless of its rate of fuel consumption and the duration of the feeding cycle.

The ashes precipitated at the lower end of the foundation 4 of the combustion chamber I, by reason of the change of direction in gas flow, are evacuated by means of a hydraulic device which is schematically shown in Fig. 1 and shown in detail in Fig. 5. This device consists of a tank or flask 33 fixed under the orifice I9 into which the ashes fall directly and are then instantly cooled in a water bath which is constantly renewed. The amount of steam produced due to high temperature particles falling into the water is in reality quite small. The steam formed in the flask 33 tends to rise vertically but cannot get into the combustion chamber because of the arrangement of a deflector plate 34 which directs the steam into a stream of atomized water where it is immediately condensed. The water is atomized by the nozzles 35.

The level of the water in the flask 33 is maintained substantially constant through the operation of a oat 35 which actuates an automatic regulator through a water flow valve 3l'. rihe atomized water projected from the nozzle 35 is combined with the condensate of the steam produced in cooling the ash and is discharged through a pipe 38 which in turn opens to the open air through a small diameter tube 39. The tube 39 is arranged with a small diameter to maintain the pressure of water in the flask. The evacuation of water and ash particles is continuous and effective due to the large volume of water used in relation to the volume of ash collected. Ash particles which may have agglomerated or which are too voluminous to pass through the strainer of the pipe 38 finally fall into a position 40 in front of an opening in the bottom of the fiask 33, from which they may be periodically removed.

If, by way of exception, a certain quantity of steam produced by the hot ash particles nevertheless gets into the combustion chamber, its presence in the gases have no unfavorable consequences, since the quantity will be very small due to the small amount of vaporizaticn in the flask 33. If necessary, a device for the evacuation of dry ash which is described in my said co-pending application, previously mentioned, would be suitable as a substitute for the hydraulic device herein described.

It will be noted that the invention includes a combustion chamber for burning pulverized coal and a filtering type of dust collector arranged for the removal of entrained ash in the gaseous preducts of combustion prior to their delivery as a motive fluid to a gas turbine. The combustion chamber is of a cylindrical shape to advantageously withstand high pressure combustion and is arranged for the downward introduction of pulverized coal thereto. The combustion chamber Walls are cooled by heat exchange with combustion air, with the air thereafter introduced into the combustion space in directions intended to effect cooling of the interior surfaces of the combustion chamber and of the gaseous combustion products before their discharge therefrom. An abrupt change in the direction of combustion gas flow in leaving the combustion space tends to separate the coarser ash particles from thes'as stream and to deposit some of the ash in the bottom of the combustion chamber from which they may be removed.` Apressure relief valve permits an escape of gas to the atmosphere when the pressure within the combustion chamber exceeds a predetermined, safe value.v

The high pressure, high temperature gases resulting from the combustion of pulverized coal in the combustion chamber are directed through a separate dust filter for cleansing before delivery as a motive fluid to an associated gas turbine. The detailed construction of the dust filter is described in my previously mentioned co-pending application. In general, the filter is arranged to receive the dust laden gaseous combustion prody ucts and to remove the dust by filtration in passing through a filtering medium. The filtering medium, such as sand, is arranged in beds with a large area so that the flow of gas therethrough will be at a low velocity for eiiicient dust removal and a low pressure drop. The large area of filtration is obtained in a small unit by arranging the filtering beds in a plurality of rings for parallel gas flow. After the removal of substantially all of the entrained ash in the gaseous products resulting from the combustion of pulveriaed coal the gases are suitable for use as a motive iiuid for a gas turbine.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described herein the best form of the invention now known to me, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention covered by my claims, and that certain features of my invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

I claim:

l. A furnace for burning solid fuels in suspension comprising a wall deining an elongated combustion chamber, a mixing type burner positioned at the one end of said combustion chamber, a second wall exteriorly spaced from and surrounding the end portion of said combustion chamber wall remote from said burner and forming an annular gas pass therebetween in cornmunication with the end of said combustion chamber, means forming a gas outlet in said second wall disposed intermediate the length of said combustion chamber and adjacent the end of said second wall, and an annular baille positioned in said annular gas pass upstream of said gas outlet, and means for cooling the wall of said combustion chamber including a casing exteriorly spaced from and surrounding the wall of said combustion chamber adjacent said burner and said second wall to define an annular passageway between the casing and both of said walls, means for introducing superatmospheric pressure air to said annular passageway, and a series of nozzles positioned in the wall of said combustion chamber to direct a flow of air from said annular passageway over the inner surface of said combustion chamber wall.

2. Apparatus for supplying motive fluid to a gas turbine comprising metallic walls defining an elongated combustion chamber having an upper body portion and a lower foundation portion of enlarged cross-sectional area, a lining within said body portion spaced therefrom to define an air chamber therebetween, an internal jacket spaced from said foundation portion to define an air chamber therebetween having a lower air inlet connection thereto, said air chambers being in air iiow communication, a metallic skirt extension of said lining projecting into the lower portion of said combustion chamber and defininga dischargevv passageway: betweentheskirt and thejacket of the-` lowerwall portionv of said combustion chamber, ay burner arranged to introduce an ash-containingfuel into the upper end of said combustion chamber, nozzles positioned in said lining adjacent said burner arranged to supply secondary combustion air to said combustion chamber from saidair chamber, additional nozzles in said lining spaced below said secondary airnozzles for the introduction of air into the upper portion of said chamber in excess of fuel' combustion requirements, and means for separating coarse ash parti-cles from the gaseous products ofcombustion leaving said combustion chamber prior to their delivery to a gas turbine;

3".' Apparatus for supplying motive fluid to a gas turbine comprising metallicwalls dening an elongated combustion chamber having an upper body portion and a lower foundation portion of enlarged cross-sectional area, a lining within said body portion spaced therefrom toA dene an air chamber therebetween, an internal jacket spaced from said foundation portion to define an air chamber therebetween having a lower air inlet connectionA thereto, said` air chambers being in airflow communication, a metallic skirt extension of said lining projecting into the lower portion of said combustion chamber and defining a discharge passageway between the skirt and the jacket of thelower wall portion of said coinbustion chamber, a burner arranged to introduce an ash-containing air-bornefuel into the upper end of said combustion chamber, nozzles positioned in said lining adjacent said burner arranged to supply secondary combustion air to said combustion chamber from said air chamber, additional nozzles in said lining spaced from said secondary air nozzles forr the introduction of air into the upper portion of said chamber in excess of combustion requirements, meansv for separating coarse ash particles from the gaseous products of combustion leaving saidcombustion chamber prior to their delivery to a gas turbine, a iiask arranged to receive and to quench said' ash particles in water, a nozzle arranged to discharge said quenched ash particles and water from said flask, and a oat arranged to regulate the dow of water to said flask.

4. A furnace for burningsolid fuels in suspen- Y surrounding the end portion of said combustion chamber wall remote from said burner'and forming an annular gas pass between said walls in communication with theV end of said combustion chamber, means forming a gas outlet in said second wall disposed intermediate the length of said combustion chamber, and means forcooling the wall of said combustion chamber including a casing exteriorly'spaced from and" surrounding the wall of said combustion chamber adjacent said burner and said second wall to denne an annular passageway between the casing and both of said walls, means for introducing superatmospheric pressure air to said annular passageway, and a series o f nozzles positioned in the wall ofv said combustion" chamber to direct a'flow of" air from said annularpassageway over the inner' surface of said combustion chamber wall.

5. A-furnace for burning solid fuels in suspension comprising metallic'walls dening a coinbustion chamber, al mixing typeburner positioned at oneeen'd offsaid combustion chamber, and arranged to'discharge air-borne coal longitudinally into said chamber, a second metallic wall exteriorly spaced from and surroundingV the end portion of said combustion chamber wall remoteA from said burner and forming an annular gas pass therebetween in communication with the end of said combustion chamber, means forming a gas outlet in' said second wall disposed intermediate the length of said combustion chamber, and-means for cooling the wall of said combustion chamber including a casing exteriorly spaced from and surrounding4 the, wall of said combustion chamber adjacent said burner and said second wall to define` an annular passageway between the casing and both of said walls, means for introducingV superatmospheric pressure air to said annular passageway, and a series of nozzles circumferentially spaced in longitudinally spaced rows in the wall of said combustion. chamber to direct a flow of air from said annular passageway into said combustion. chamber, the nozzles adjacent said burner arranged to discharge combustion airl jets tangentially iinpinging in cooling relationship upon the internal surface of said metallic walls, the remaining nozzles arranged to discharge jets of excess air into said combustion chamber in directions having radial and tangential componente with respect to said metallic, wall to cool the products of combustion.

6. A furnacey for burningV solid fuels in suspension comprisinga metallic wall defining an elongated combustion chamben, a burner centrally positioned at one end of said combustion chamber, means for delivering air-borne solid fuel at a superatmospheric pressure to said burner, means for separating cinders from the gases of combustion prior to discharge from said.

combustion chamber by a substantial reversal of gas flow direction, and means for cooling the metallic wall of said combustion chamber including a casing surrounding said combustion chamber and defining an annular passagewai7 therebetween for flow of air, a series of nozzles longitudinally spaced along and in the combustion chamber wall arranged to direct a flow of combustion air into said combustion chamber to sustain combustion of said fuel and to cool the products of combustion, and a fluid cooled coil arranged to cool the interior surface of said combustion chamber.

7. A furnace for burning fuels in suspension comprising walls defining an elongated combustion chamber having an upper body portion of substantially uniform cross-sectional area and a lower foundation portion of enlarged crosssectional area with an inverted frusto-conical bottom, alining within said body portion spaced therefrom to denne an air chamber therebetween, an internal jacket spaced from said foundationv portion to definean air chamber therebetween having a lower air inlet connection thereto, said air chambers being in air flow communication, a metallic skirt extension of said liningA projecting into said lower portion to a spaced position above said bottom and defining a discharge passageway between said skirt and the jacket of said lower portion for combustion gases generated' in said' combustion chamber, a burner arrangedtov introduce an ash-containing fuel'into the'upper end of said combustion chamber, nozzles positioned in said lining adjacent said burner arranged to supply secondary combustion airto said combustion chamber from said air chamber, and additional nozzles in the lining of said upper portion spaced below said burner and arranged to supply cooling air from said air chamber into the products of combustion.

8. A furnace for burning fuels in suspension comprising metallic walls defining an elongated combustion chamber having an upper body portion .of substantially uniform cross-sectional area and a lower foundation portion of enlarged cross-sectional area with an inverted frustoconical bottom, a lining within said body portion spaced therefrom to denne an air chamber therebetween, an internal jacket spaced from said foundation portion to define an air chamber therebetween having a lower air inlet connection thereto, said air chambers being in air flow communication, a metallic skirt extension of said lining projecting into said lower portion to a spaced position above said bottom and defining a discharge passageway between said skirt and the jacket of said lower portion for combustion gases generated in said combustion chamber, a plate helically wrapped about the exterior surface of said lining within the upper portion of said combustion chamber, a burner arranged to introduce an ash-containing fuel into the upper end of said combustion chamber, nozzles po sitioned in said lining adjacent said burner arranged to supply secondary combustion air to said combustion chamber from said air chamber, and additional nozzles in the lining of said 10 upper portion spaced below said burner and arranged to supply cooling air from said air chamber into the products of combustion.

MARCEL VERON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 730,782 Morrison June 9, 1903 1,180,792 Norrman Apr. 25, 1916 1,314,175 Wells Aug. 26, 1919 1,608,446 Trent Nov. 23, 1926 1,518,808 Burg Feb. 22, 1927 1,656,991 Schwartz Jan. 24, 1928 1,698,552 Lundgren Jan. 8, 1929 1,734,669 Frisch Nov. 5, 1929 1,819,174 Jacobus Aug. 18, 1931 1,910,735 Zikesch May 23, 1933 1,911,501 Grady May 30, 1933 1,948,537 Noack Feb. 27, 1934 1,969,501 Chapman Aug. 7, 1934 2,187,627 Noack Jan. 16, 1940 2,275,394 Hardgrove Mar. 3, 1942 2,332,866 Mller Oct. 26, 1943 2,398,654 Lubbock et a1 Apr. 16, 1946 2,601,390 Hague June 24, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,289 Great Britain May 3, 1938 

